Fire retardant, fire proofing, and even fire stopping materials and their method of production and use have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,699 discloses a fire retardant composition to be applied to materials such as building materials and corrugated board materials. By using silica or silicate, water, and a surfactant, the composition of this patent may provide a fire retardant coating. This composition, however, does not offer desired intumescent qualities. Such properties are specifically desired for the sealing of door frames as well as in the wrapping of pipes.
Additionally, the production and use of intumescent compounds has been described in the prior art. For example EPO 0 256 967 discloses a process for the production of moldings by extrusion or injection molding of a mixture that contains polyvinyl chloride and a mixture of polyhydric alcohol, a polyamide compound, and a phosphate at temperatures of 140.degree. C. or less. Unfortunately, this patent required the use of a polyvinyl chloride resin.
Additionally, EPO 0 302 987 disclosed the production of a thermoplastic mixture containing expandable graphite, a non-polyvinyl chloride polymer, and two of the following group consisting of phosphates, polyamide compounds, and polyhydric compounds at temperatures of 150.degree. C. or less. This disclosure only teaches the formation of a thermoplastic mixture and requires either a polyamide compound or a polyhydric alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,780 discloses the use of expandable graphite in fire retardant intumescent moldings wherein the graphite containing materials are heated in molds to temperatures between 150.degree. C. and 350.degree. C. More suitable means for producing fire retardant materials and less expensive fire retardant compositions are desired.